National Guard team mobilizes in support of Hurricane Ian

Contact: Joseph Siemandel, Washington National Guard
Phone: (253) 512-8989
Email: joseph.f.siemandel.mil@army.mil

National Guard team mobilizes in support of Hurricane Ian response

CAMP MURRAY, WA – A four-man team from the Washington Air National Guard has been activated today to assist with the response efforts following Hurricane Ian in Florida.

The team from the 242nd Combat Communications Squadron, located at Fairchild Air Force Base, will support emergency coordination efforts at the Joint Operations Center Training Facility located at Camp Blanding, Florida. The team will provide technical expertise in the deployment of Starlink satellite communications terminals.

This resource request was made through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. EMAC is a national interstate mutual aid compact that facilitates the sharing of resources, personnel and equipment across state lines during times of disaster and emergency.

“We are happy to provide this critical capability to the first responders in Florida as they perform the important task of recovering after Hurricane Ian,” said Major General Bret Daugherty, the adjutant general. “Washington state has successfully used this technology during wildfires and it will be extremely useful to the mission.”

The Starlink satellite internet network developed by SpaceX was used in rural locations in Washington during the 2020 wildfire response. Starlink brings communication and internet service to areas devastated by disasters. Terminals are the small devices on the ground that connect to the satellites.

The citizen-soldiers and airmen of the Washington Military Department are dedicated to the mission of safeguarding lives and property in Washington state and serving the citizens of Washington state.

The governor announced the activation in his press release here.